Which teams do you consider to be a strong Stanley Cup Contender for 2025?

[NyQuil]

The only team since the lockout whose best player was a goaltender to win the Cup was the Bruins in 2011 and even then, Chara and Bergeron have to be in the discussion.

Binnington was the best player on the 2019 St. Louis Blues.

O'Reilly and Tarasenko had good seasons, but Binnington had more Hart trophy votes in the end.

 

[Machinehead]

Binnington was the best player on the 2019 St. Louis Blues.

O'Reilly and Tarasenko had good seasons, but Binnington had more Hart trophy votes in the end.

There are runs where you could say the goalie played the best but that's different from being the team's best player.

 

[TS Quint]

Yes. Their best player is Connor Hellebuyck, by far.

The only team since the lockout whose best player was a goaltender to win the Cup was the Bruins in 2011 and even then, Chara and Bergeron have to be in the discussion.

You seem to be taking it personally that I'm pointing out that the Jets would be bucking a lot of trends.

How am I taking this personally? Im just trying to understand your method. You're making an lotnof false assumptions of past Cup winners and the Jets. Its like you don't really follow the league.

Lets just be clear on your position here. You think the 2nd highest scoring team in the league is over reliant on goaltending?

You don't think Bob was at least close if not the very best Panthers over the last 2 playoffs?

 

[Machinehead]

How am I taking this personally? Im just trying to understand your method.

Lets just be clear on your position here. You think the 2nd highest scoring team in the league is over reliant on goaltending?

It's not about their ability to score. They rely on goaltending because a goaltender is their best player.

When the Jets get into the playoffs, Mark Scheifele has to match up against Nathan MacKinnon, Connor McDavid, Jack Eichel, Anze Kopitar. If they get to the Finals, it's gonna Barkov, Matthews, Hughes. When the other team is sending their best after your best for 7 games, it becomes difficult. That's why teams with top, top talent bogart the Cup. They're in a 1v1 matchup with him and they're gonna be trying to stop him. They can keep the puck away from him.

The other goaltender doesn't have to beat Hellebuyck 1v1. His performance is independent of what Hellebuyck doing. Hellebuyck can't directly stop him.

Because of that, the mismatch for Winnipeg in goal is providing nowhere near the value of the mismatch they're going to be facing at center.

It's hard to win a series when your top talent is a goaltender and he isn't providing a 1v1 matchup advantage.

 

[NyQuil]

There are runs where you could say the goalie played the best but that's different from being the team's best player.

Sure, but that’s not the case for the 2019 Blues, and apparently the press corps agrees given that Binner was 10th in Hart trophy voting that year ahead of anyone else on the team.

You may be thinking of the 2006 Hurricanes and Cam Ward.

 

[Machinehead]

Sure, but that’s not the case for the 2019 Blues, and apparently the press corps agrees given that Binner was 10th in Hart trophy voting that year ahead of anyone else on the team.

You may be thinking of the 2006 Hurricanes and Cam Ward.

So you're saying Jordan Binnington was, for a period time, not just one run, a better hockey player than Ryan O'Reilly?

 

[NyQuil]

So you're saying Jordan Binnington was, for a period time, not just one run, a better hockey player than Ryan O'Reilly?

It’s not like he only showed up for the playoffs.

 

[TS Quint]

It's not about their ability to score. They rely on goaltending because a goaltender is their best player.

When the Jets get into the playoffs, Mark Scheifele has to match up against Nathan MacKinnon, Connor McDavid, Jack Eichel, Anze Kopitar. If they get to the Finals, it's gonna Barkov, Matthews, Hughes. When the other team is sending their best after your best for 7 games, it becomes difficult. That's why teams with top, top talent bogart the Cup. They're in a 1v1 matchup with him and they're gonna be trying to stop him. They can keep the puck away from him.

The other goaltender doesn't have to beat Hellebuyck 1v1. His performance is independent of what Hellebuyck doing. Hellebuyck can't directly stop him.

Because of that, the mismatch for Winnipeg in goal is providing nowhere near the value of the mismatch they're going to be facing at center.

It's hard to win a series when your top talent is a goaltender and he isn't providing a 1v1 matchup advantage.

The Jets goaltending is too good to win the Cup. This is the best thing i have heard on this site in a long time LMAO!

And they score plenty but you don't like that it's not coming from a single player. They just have the highest scoring line in the league. I couldn't make this stuff up haha.

 

[Machinehead]

It’s not like he only showed up for the playoffs.

Sure, I guess. Like I said, I'll give you St. Louis. That roster was complete ass for a Cup winner.

Carolina in 2006 was kind of weak too.

And I guess the Ducks "only" had Ryan Getzlaf and one of the best defense corps ever assembled.

Literally everyone else had historically good forwards, and like half of them had two. I'm not saying there aren't exceptions but the trend is clear.

 

[Machinehead]

The Jets goaltending is too good to win the Cup. This is the best thing i have heard on this site in a long time LMAO!

And they score plenty but you don't like that it's not coming from a single player. They just have the highest scoring line in the league. I couldn't make this stuff up haha.

That's a terrible misrepresentation of what I said.

 

[Buffdog]

It's not about their ability to score. They rely on goaltending because a goaltender is their best player.

When the Jets get into the playoffs, Mark Scheifele has to match up against Nathan MacKinnon, Connor McDavid, Jack Eichel, Anze Kopitar. If they get to the Finals, it's gonna Barkov, Matthews, Hughes. When the other team is sending their best after your best for 7 games, it becomes difficult. That's why teams with top, top talent bogart the Cup. They're in a 1v1 matchup with him and they're gonna be trying to stop him. They can keep the puck away from him.

The other goaltender doesn't have to beat Hellebuyck 1v1. His performance is independent of what Hellebuyck doing. Hellebuyck can't directly stop him.

Because of that, the mismatch for Winnipeg in goal is providing nowhere near the value of the mismatch they're going to be facing at center.

It's hard to win a series when your top talent is a goaltender and he isn't providing a 1v1 matchup advantage.

I'm sure the Devils didn't have the best centre vs their opponents when Brodeur won them cups

 

[Machinehead]

I'm sure the Devils didn't have the best centre vs their opponents when Brodeur won them cups

That was a completely different league.

 

[Deno]

That doesn't refute anything I said.

The Cup has been monopolized by forwards who are shoo-in Hall of Famers.

Maybe the Jets will win. I can't predict the future. They are beginning to creep up the list of terms of underlying numbers.

All I'm saying is, it would be extremely atypical for a roster constructed like theirs to win the Cup.

Why? How do they not measure up?

 

[LaCarriere]

I think Winnipeg will surprise a lot of people and come out of the west. They are sitting comfortably atop the west, better overall results and building on the last 2 years. Hope I'm wrong as it means the Avs don't win, but they have no expectations either.